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What Are Slobber Straps?
Slobber straps are pieces of leather that attach reins to a bit (see photo below). They generally serve three purposes:
- Slobber straps can take a lot of everyday wear and tear off of expensive reins. For example, if a horse takes a drink while wearing reins with slobber straps, the slobber straps will help keep the reins out of the water. They are designed to be easily removed and replaced.
- Some reins can be very lightweight. Lightweight reins, when picked up on and released by a rider, may be so light that both horse and rider don't get a good "feel" through them. Slobber straps can add enough weight that both horse and rider can more easily feel communication through the reins.
- Some styles of reins, such as mecates, are not easily attached directly to a bit. In this case, the slobber strap is attached to the bit and the mecate is attached to the slobber strap.
Slobber straps can be plain, or fancy with tooling, lacing, buckles, conchos, etc. They can be used with mecates or split reins.
Below: Cowhide-covered slobber straps being used with a nylon mecate.

Slobber Straps vs. Water Loops
A "water loop" is similar to a slobber strap. Water loops are smaller and less fancy than slobber straps, but share some of the same purposes: They take some of the regular wear-and-tear of daily use off of the reins, they can add a little bit of weight to help enhance "feel," and they make it easy to attach reins to a bit. However, since most water loops are smaller, simpler, and a lot less fancy than many slobber straps, they're typically far less expensive to replace if worn out or broken. Some people use the terms "slobber straps" and "water loops" interchangeably.
Below: The blue arrow is pointing to what are frequently called "water loop" ends or "rein ends" being used with a pair of leather split reins.
How To...
- Attach A Leather Rope Strap
- Bridle A Horse
- Buy Cowboy Stuff On eBay
- Care For A Silk Wild Rag
- Care For Your Felt Cowboy Hat
- Care For Your Saddle Pad Or Blanket
- Close A Gate With A Chain Latch
- Estimate Cattle Age By Their Teeth
- Estimate A Horse's Weight
- Estimate Western Cinch Size
- Fishtail Braid Your Horse's Tail
- Flatten Cow Horn
- Hydro Dip A Cow Skull
- Make A Collapsible Wood Saddle Rack
- Make A Flag Boot Out Of A Horn
- Make Homemade Hoof Conditioner
- Make Homemade Horse Fly Spray
- Measure A Horse's Girth
- Measure A Horse's Height
- Measure A Western Saddle Seat
- Put A Horn Knot On Your Rope
- Put A Speed Burner On A Honda
- Recognize Common Horse Colors
- Recognize Common Horse Face Markings
- Saddle A Horse
- Stop A Saddle From Squeaking
- Take Horse Pictures
- Tell A Boy Cow From A Girl Cow
- Tie A Honda
- Tie A Horse
- Tie A Quick Release Knot
- Tie A Stopper Knot
Tie a stopper knot for the end of a rope, or a metal, rawhide, or plastic honda - Tie A Stopper Knot For A Honda
Tie a stopper knot for a tied honda - Tie A Wild Rag Knot
- Trim A Bridle Path
- Turn Blevins Buckles Over
- Turn Western Stirrups
- Understand Leather / Hide Thickness
- Weigh A Horse and Optimize Rider Weight
- Whiten Bone
- Wrap A Saddle Horn With Rubber
What Is / Are...
- What Are 5 Reasons Horse Trailer Lighting Matters?
- What Are Chestnuts and Ergots?
- What Are Cowboy Chinks?
- What Are Ermine Spots?
- What Are Horns?
- What Are Horse Blood Marks?
- What Are Horse Vaccines and How Do They Work?
- What Are Horse Whiskers?
- What Are Leads?
- What Are The Parts Of A Western Saddle?
- What Are Saddle Rigging Positions?
- What Are Some Horse Fencing Basics?
- What Are Some Interesting Horse Facts?
- What Are Some Interesting Charts and Graphs With Horse Information?
- What Are Some Options For Temporary Horse Fencing?
- What Are Slobber Straps?
- What Are Synthetic Saddles Made Of?
- What Are The Rodeo Catch Pens?
- What Are The X's In A Cowboy Hat?
- What Are The Three Legal Head Catches?
- What Are Wolf Teeth?
- What Is The Angle System For Branding?
- What Is A Bosal?
- What Is A Bull Riding Vest Made Of?
- What Is A Domain Name?
Why would I need one for my farm or ranch even if I don't have or want a website? - What Is A Fifth Wheel Trailer Hitch?
- What Is Flag and National Anthem Etiquette At A Rodeo?
- What Is Floating A Horse's Teeth?
- What Is Freeze Branding?
- What Is Freeze Branding......What Do Horse Freeze Brands Look Like?
- What Is A Galvayne's Groove?
- What Is A Gooseneck Trailer Hitch?
- What Is A Headstall?
- What Is A Pony Express Mochila?
- What Is Hermann Oak Leather?
- What Is Larvicidal De-Worming?
- What Is The Flying Gallop?
- What Is The Mark Out Rule?
- What Is A Nord Fork?
- What Is The Rodeo Return Gate?
- What Is Rotational Grazing?
Horse Tips
- Horse Tips
Short tips to help horse owners and anyone who lives or loves a Western lifestyle do something faster, easier, or better.
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